Preview — Angel Of Death
by Jack Higgins

They call themselves "January 30," after the date of a British massacre in Belfast. They are allied with no one, killing American diplomats and KGB agents, Arabs and Israelis, IRA gunmen and Loyalist soldiers. But they are definitely the enemies of peace--and they are plotting an assassination that will shatter an uneasy truce that reigns in Ireland. Former IRA enforcer SThey call themselves "January 30," after the date of a British massacre in Belfast. They are allied with no one, killing American diplomats and KGB agents, Arabs and Israelis, IRA gunmen and Loyalist soldiers. But they are definitely the enemies of peace--and they are plotting an assassination that will shatter an uneasy truce that reigns in Ireland. Former IRA enforcer Sean Dillon must hunt down January 30 before they kill again. Before they spark another war. Before Dillon himself falls prey to the ultimate assassin--the Angel of Death......more

ebook, 352 pages

Published
March 1st 1996
by Berkley Books
(first published February 1st 1995)

Community Reviews

Jack Higgins still has the touch. This is an absorbing, fast-paced thriller in the best sense of the word. The plot is current, and quite believable. Once again, ex-IRA terrorist Sean Dillon is teamed with Scotland Yard DCI Hannah Bernstein and her boss, Brigadier Charles Ferguson. He runs an elite intelligence unit responsible only to the Prime Minister of England. Apolitical, the unit has, inevitably, become an action unit as well.

Ferguson enlists Dillon in an attempt to run down a mysteriousJack Higgins still has the touch. This is an absorbing, fast-paced thriller in the best sense of the word. The plot is current, and quite believable. Once again, ex-IRA terrorist Sean Dillon is teamed with Scotland Yard DCI Hannah Bernstein and her boss, Brigadier Charles Ferguson. He runs an elite intelligence unit responsible only to the Prime Minister of England. Apolitical, the unit has, inevitably, become an action unit as well.

Ferguson enlists Dillon in an attempt to run down a mysterious group known as “January 30.” This is a group that has murdered a variety of people operating in the shadow world of international espionage and terrorism. January 30 appears to play no favorites, having been identified as killing former KGB agents, American diplomats and even Israelis. Now they plot to destroy the tenuous peace process taking hold in Northern Ireland. ANGEL OF DEATH, told in flashbacks and present-day action, carries the reader pell-mell from Ireland to England, to America, Beirut, and back. Along the way the reader is treated to imaginative convoluted twists and accommodations of the diplomatic games nations play, set against brutal and abrupt physical action. You’ll see Dillon the charmer with a gift of gab, Dillon the stone killer and Dillon the experienced, intelligent agent, provocateur.

As always, Higgins characters are sharply drawn and always consistent. As always Higgins sense of place is thoughtfully and evocatively laid out so we are with him in the mean streets of Belfast and the elegant rooms of Ardmore House.,...more

This, the fourth title in the Sean Dillon series, gave me a chance to visit with some old and likable friends once again, but I'm realizing more and more that these old friends are terribly incompetent (mostly Ferguson, the head guy) and would have been removed from their official roles long ago in the real world. The plot is unoriginal; the motives of the bad guys muddled, at best; there are numerous plot developments that require you to merely accept that some people must just be stupid; and tThis, the fourth title in the Sean Dillon series, gave me a chance to visit with some old and likable friends once again, but I'm realizing more and more that these old friends are terribly incompetent (mostly Ferguson, the head guy) and would have been removed from their official roles long ago in the real world. The plot is unoriginal; the motives of the bad guys muddled, at best; there are numerous plot developments that require you to merely accept that some people must just be stupid; and the ending is rushed, as if Higgins had run up against a deadline or realized that he was nearing 300 pages and had to wrap things up. On the positive side, the pacing is good and the narrative moves along at a fast clip. I will continue with the next in the series, but I'm not overly excited at the prospect. If I were not interested in the ultimate fates of Ferguson, Bernstein and Dillon, I might be giving up on this series at this point....more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.It has been some time since I've read a Jack Higgins novel. I think the last one was Eye of Needle. However, since then I've read a number of very good novels of the same genre and "Angel of Death" left me wanting. I feel like many other reviewers who gave it a 3 and had some criticism of this book. Mr. Higgins probably pumped this out, as one reviewer put it, on a rainy weekend.I found it to be very formulaic and disappointing. As I read this I thought I was in a new "Johnny English" satire. AIt has been some time since I've read a Jack Higgins novel. I think the last one was Eye of Needle. However, since then I've read a number of very good novels of the same genre and "Angel of Death" left me wanting. I feel like many other reviewers who gave it a 3 and had some criticism of this book. Mr. Higgins probably pumped this out, as one reviewer put it, on a rainy weekend.I found it to be very formulaic and disappointing. As I read this I thought I was in a new "Johnny English" satire. A few comedic lines and it would probably work.

I realize Mr. Higgins (Patterson), pumps these sort of novels out like Hershey does kisses; I felt he could of made some of the scenes more plausible. As an example, in 1994, I'm sure the English could wire tap someone's phone if they were under suspicion; court documents in order and a little court juggling, etc. One character in the story, a leading suspect in a series of murders, is making phone calls to another suspected character and no one has either character's phone tapped to listen to suspicious phone conversations. There were a few situations, like this, that left me scratching my head. I had a hard time taking the plot or any of the characters seriously except maybe Belov, the Russian diplomat.

It would have been nice if a few well placed unexpected mishaps occurred; for example the nun in the chapel to kill Ferguson...Dillon should have spotted the barrel of AK47 as it was pointed from around a corner post, by a nun, in the balcony. How many nuns carry AK47s in a chapel? A little stealth, voilà he sticks his Barrette in the appropriate place on the suspected nun carrying the AK47, include a few expletives and picturesque language; I'm sure you can imagine the rest. The suicides at the end...really...what a cop out.

What I did like, the death of Lang on the bike, broken back etc. The Wolf Hound as a pet, I like dogs. I wish there were .5 stars, it's not really a 3, but more like 2.5; I gave it 3 because for someone who enjoys this genre, they may just get off on this formulaic style of writing. ...more

#4 in the Sean Dillon series. Thinly developed characters populate the latest entry in the adventures of the "Prime Minister's secret army". A cameo by President Bill Clinton, evocation of the Kennedy brothers, and a sighting of Sir John Gielgud, Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson and Ian Richardson help set this entry in 1994. While Sinn Fein is being brought to the peace table, GRU Col. Belov encourages his three followers to create chaos and destroy the Irish peace process with an eye towards a C#4 in the Sean Dillon series. Thinly developed characters populate the latest entry in the adventures of the "Prime Minister's secret army". A cameo by President Bill Clinton, evocation of the Kennedy brothers, and a sighting of Sir John Gielgud, Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson and Ian Richardson help set this entry in 1994. While Sinn Fein is being brought to the peace table, GRU Col. Belov encourages his three followers to create chaos and destroy the Irish peace process with an eye towards a Communist state rising from the ashes.

Sean Dillon series - This angel of death, a female British motorcyclist in black leather who carries a Beretta pistol and kills only to create chaos is also Britain's greatest actress, Grace Browning, relishing her new role as assassin of political activists of every stripe, be they Arab or Israeli, Catholic or Protestant, CIA or KGB, East End gangster or American senator. Browning belongs to a group that calls itself "January 30",seemingly in honor of Bloody Sunday in Belfast but actually in honor of nothing but the chaos that she and her colleagues - an Irish university professor, his homosexual lover - an English Member of Parliament, and an officer in the GRU - Soviet Military Intelligence, hope will usher in an Irish Communist state. Pitted against January 30 and Browning are Brigadier Charles Ferguson of the PM's elite Group Four and his most devilish agent, Sean Dillon, ex-actor and ex-IRA hit man....more

I have really enjoyed this series so far and this is just as entertaining as his earlier books. The beauty of his books are the super smooth writing that can convert an average plot (as this is) into a near 5* rating. I also enjoyed the insight into the political scene in the early 90's when the British government was trying to negotiate a complete ceasefire in Northern Ireland with the IRA. Although the book is not about the ceasefire, it is a central theme to the plot. The British Prime MinistI have really enjoyed this series so far and this is just as entertaining as his earlier books. The beauty of his books are the super smooth writing that can convert an average plot (as this is) into a near 5* rating. I also enjoyed the insight into the political scene in the early 90's when the British government was trying to negotiate a complete ceasefire in Northern Ireland with the IRA. Although the book is not about the ceasefire, it is a central theme to the plot. The British Prime Minister, John Major and the US President, Bill Clinton also appear in the story, giving it an air of authenticity....more

An IRA turned British agent, The IRA revolution, Ireland in total turmoil, Rebel groups, Illegal Arms trade: the perfect characteristics for a thriller.

Angel of Death is the fourth book in the Sean Dillon series. The whole series perfectly eclipses the problems of the IRA and turmoil in Britain and converts it into an excellent thriller in every novel. The entire series revolves around Sean Dillon, an IRA rebel turned British Agent.

I would describe this book as thrilling to read, but very sha An IRA turned British agent, The IRA revolution, Ireland in total turmoil, Rebel groups, Illegal Arms trade: the perfect characteristics for a thriller.

Angel of Death is the fourth book in the Sean Dillon series. The whole series perfectly eclipses the problems of the IRA and turmoil in Britain and converts it into an excellent thriller in every novel. The entire series revolves around Sean Dillon, an IRA rebel turned British Agent.

I would describe this book as thrilling to read, but very shallow. There is not much you can pull out from it at the end. Reading it is extremely thrilling, and constantly occurring cliffhangers make you want to read more. However, in the end there really isn't much depth to the book. The plot follows the common structure for a thriller, and is thus overused. Second of all, it was extremely difficult to follow in the beginning. This was due to a flashback that wasn't correctly distinguished. Also, the author introduces a LOT of characters in a very short period of time, so the readers can easily get mixed up.

Overall, I would recommend this book if you want something that will keep you thrilled and reading. If you want some depth to a novel, such as explanation of the historical situation, or character analysis and other elements of literature, this novel is not for you...more

An interesting book from Jack Higgins. While there's the usual page-turning thrills to be had, "Angel of Death" does something interesting: it gives the reader an idea of how a terrorist organization can come into existence. And, for a time, it does confound Group Four. But, in the end, Group Four prevails and the world is a little safer...

having read the previous 3 books in this series its easy to see the books as being very formulaic. Dillon as a character is developing however h find himself in too many scenarios he magically escapes from.

a quick page turner but certainly not one that will live long in the memory banks

This was what I would call brain candy reading. It was fast paced, action filled reading that kept you occupied but it didn't really amount to a great read. Jack Higgins is adept at coming up with interesting scenerios and this wasn't any different. An unlikely trio of people become a hit squad controlled by Soviet intelligence. When the assassinations of several people involved in the peace process in Ireland occur, the special branch of the Prime Minister becomes involved and Sean Dillon (ex-IThis was what I would call brain candy reading. It was fast paced, action filled reading that kept you occupied but it didn't really amount to a great read. Jack Higgins is adept at coming up with interesting scenerios and this wasn't any different. An unlikely trio of people become a hit squad controlled by Soviet intelligence. When the assassinations of several people involved in the peace process in Ireland occur, the special branch of the Prime Minister becomes involved and Sean Dillon (ex-IRA enforcer) helps them track down the killers. The fun part of the book is watching the protagonists figure out the connections between the murders and the leak within the government. It wasn't the best in the series that I've read, but it did satisfy my reading hunger. ...more

A former IRA terrorist, Sean Dillon, goes to work for the British government tracking down a new threat to the government. Three Brits, one a famous actress and one a high-up government official, decide anarchy in the name of communism sounds like a good idea, and start a plan to murder various influential political people. The dialogue was just silly, the plot predictable, and the characters uninteresting. Jack Higgins had to have outsourced this.

Sean Dillon, Hannah Bernstein and Brigadier Ferguson work to thwart a plot to disrupt the Irish Peace talks by an agent of the Russian GRU working with a university professor, a member of the British Government and popular actress. Lots of action as the bad guys are on a killing spree and claiming their actions as those of a mysterious January 30 group. I am glad I found this Higgins on my desk the other day, as I do like his novels.

This was the first novel I picked up off of my father's book shelf. The title struck me with interest. I flipped it over to read the information that would be contained within the pages and was hooked by just those words. I flipped through this book quickly and could not put it down. It went everywhere I went, and now I am certainly a fan of Jack Higgins and do plan on reading all the novels my father owns by this man.

A very weak effort by Higgins who is capable of far better. Probably knocked this off over a rainy weekend to meet a publishers quota. The story is implausible, predictable and it is impossible to take the antagonist characters with the exception of Belov seriously.

This was the first book I've read by Jack Higgins. It was interesting enough, maybe if I knew more about the IRA & KGB I'd have cared more about the conflict. I liked the characters, I may have to see if Dillon appears in his other books.

There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Jack Higgins is the pseudonym of Harry Patterson (b. 1929), the New York Times bestselling author of more than seventy thrillers, including The Eagle Has Landed and The Wolf at the Door. His books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide.

Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Patterson grew up in Belfast, Northern IrelanThere is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Jack Higgins is the pseudonym of Harry Patterson (b. 1929), the New York Times bestselling author of more than seventy thrillers, including The Eagle Has Landed and The Wolf at the Door. His books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide.

Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Patterson grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland. As a child, Patterson was a voracious reader and later credited his passion for reading with fueling his creative drive to be an author. His upbringing in Belfast also exposed him to the political and religious violence that characterized the city at the time. At seven years old, Patterson was caught in gunfire while riding a tram, and later was in a Belfast movie theater when it was bombed. Though he escaped from both attacks unharmed, the turmoil in Northern Ireland would later become a significant influence in his books, many of which prominently feature the Irish Republican Army. After attending grammar school and college in Leeds, England, Patterson joined the British Army and served two years in the Household Cavalry, from 1947 to 1949, stationed along the East German border. He was considered an expert sharpshooter.

Following his military service, Patterson earned a degree in sociology from the London School of Economics, which led to teaching jobs at two English colleges. In 1959, while teaching at James Graham College, Patterson began writing novels, including some under the alias James Graham. As his popularity grew, Patterson left teaching to write full time. With the 1975 publication of the international blockbuster The Eagle Has Landed, which was later made into a movie of the same name starring Michael Caine, Patterson became a regular fixture on bestseller lists. His books draw heavily from history and include prominent figures—such as John Dillinger—and often center around significant events from such conflicts as World War II, the Korean War, and the Cuban Missile Crisis.